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Back Iron Winter Save as PDF
Chapters (89)
  1. Title page
  2. Contents
  3. Map
  4. ONE
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. TWO
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. THREE
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. FOUR
  77. 70
  78. 71
  79. 72
  80. 73
  81. 74
  82. 75
  83. 76
  84. 77
  85. 78
  86. 79
  87. Afterword
  88. By Stephen Baxter
  89. Copyright

Palla said warningly, ‘Henti said you would be like this. Sentimental. Not able to do your duty by the Emergency Laws.’

‘Not this one.’

Zida said, ‘Look at his foot. He can’t walk, man. He can’t join the March.’

‘He’s with me. He’s – my nephew.’

Zida stared at him, then laughed. ‘You can’t be serious.’

‘My nephew, Zida. That’s what I’m telling you.’

Zida held up his hands. ‘Well, it’s up to you, priest! It’s your lot who announced the Emergency Laws. If you lie, if you help him hide a slave, it’s your crime.’

Kassu faced Palla. ‘You owe me your life. Now you owe me this.’

‘Is it worth it, Kassu?’ Palla asked evenly. ‘For one lame slave boy?’

‘You tell me. You’re the priest.’

Palla stared at Pimpira, and shrugged. ‘Fine. It’s your crime. I will say nothing. Are we even now?’

‘Oh, no,’ Kassu snapped. ‘Never that.’

Palla turned and walked away towards the house.

Zida turned on Kassu. ‘You fool. You idiot. You walnut-brained sack of—’

‘Enough.’

Zida pointed after the priest. ‘That man is your worst enemy. He tried to take your wife. And you spared his life! Whoever forgave a man for doing that? And now you’ve given him a weapon to hold over you. And for what?’ He swung a kick at Pimpira’s good leg, and the boy twisted on the cold ground. ‘A slave boy who’s neither use nor decoration. What’s wrong with you, Kassu?’

Kassu had no more to say. He walked after the priest.

Zida stared at him, muttering under his breath. ‘And you.’ He turned on Pimpira, who cowered. ‘Get back in that pit, nephew, and stay there until I’m gone.’

On hands and knees Pimpira scrambled over the broken earth.

29

The Second Year of the Longwinter: Midsummer Solstice

Barmocar insisted on leaving Etxelur before the midsummer Giving.

Rina knew the Carthaginian hadn’t done this just out of spite for her. He and his colleagues and agents had spent much of the winter planning the trek to Carthage; the earlier in the year they started out on this long journey the better chance they had of completing it before the weather closed in again. In fact, Barmocar told Rina, he would have left even earlier if Northland’s dismal non-spring had allowed it.